FredS
Member
How long does it take for a cow to dry up? Do we need to do anything other than seperating the pair? Thanks
Drying up a Cow
- Thread starter FredS
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Had one dairy farmer say once - referring to the fact that a dairy cow needed at least 6 weeks dry - "Takes 3 weeks to shut 'em down and 3 weeks to start 'em up" - sounds about right. Some "shut down" quicker than others. (Off topic for you beef folks, but I like to see at least 45 days dry, preferably more like 60 days. Cow doesn't really need more than that.)
NewCowboy
Well-known member
My papaw has a cow that lets anything suck on it. We turned out some 15 month heifers and one started sucking again. Also the other calves do too. We just put her up in another pasture to help her out. She had dropped a little weight and we figured she needed a break. Her calf, and another calf that was nursing off of her were sold back in September. I never knew the mama cow wouldn't dry up after selling off her calf..... 
NewCowboy":30gsonzo said:I never knew the mama cow wouldn't dry up after selling off her calf.....
It's the nursing that keeps the milk production going. I've been told that there comes a time that a cow will wean her calf and dry off by herself, but whether this is true or not and at what point it happens I have no idea.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
NewCowboy":3erpn575 said:My papaw has a cow that lets anything suck on it. We turned out some 15 month heifers and one started sucking again. Also the other calves do too. We just put her up in another pasture to help her out. She had dropped a little weight and we figured she needed a break. Her calf, and another calf that was nursing off of her were sold back in September. I never knew the mama cow wouldn't dry up after selling off her calf.....
Thats a good cow if you know what to do with it.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
Caustic Burno":32vmgsqq said:
All right cuastic, I am all ears. I got a cow with her first calf doing the same thing. Call me a hobbyist or anything you want. Insults are okay. Just tell me how to make this little gal work for me, for the most benefit.
She's small and looks angus, out of a white face brindle. I don't think her mom was an F1 "tigerstripe" but she was pretty high strung so I parted ways with her. Bought her bred in Mineral Wells, had two heifers out of her and sold her for good profit when the drought hit. Probably should have kept her. Her calf, now cow, doesn't have a big udder, but she has let 5 different calves nurse. It happens right out in the pasture.
NewCowboy
Well-known member
Caustic Burno":nkpgsxme said:NewCowboy":nkpgsxme said:My papaw has a cow that lets anything suck on it. We turned out some 15 month heifers and one started sucking again. Also the other calves do too. We just put her up in another pasture to help her out. She had dropped a little weight and we figured she needed a break. Her calf, and another calf that was nursing off of her were sold back in September. I never knew the mama cow wouldn't dry up after selling off her calf.....
Thats a good cow if you know what to do with it.
Yes, she nursed a cows baby along with hers that had teats that were swollen beyond help (unfortunately we decided to sell that old cow shortly thereafter). The baby did fine and the cow had plenty of milk. She is/will be a good nurse cow if we need it again. It can be a big strain on them though if it is year round, right? :???:
backhoeboogie":7p30xyxe said:
Well, you keep those others off of her and let her raise her own. That way she does not get run down - which she will unless you help her out.
But if you get an orphan, you can put it on her and she will raise it with no prob.
Worth her weight in calves she is.
Bez!
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
Thank you for the reply Bez. Next calf cycle she's going to be moved here to the house (farm is 20 miles or so but I have 16 acres here). Its is a shame her udder is not large and that she is just average size. She'd accept an orphan.
I have another cow, a holstein, who is to function as my nurse cow, if I can keep her in cycle with the rest of my cows.
I have another cow, a holstein, who is to function as my nurse cow, if I can keep her in cycle with the rest of my cows.
bigbull338
Well-known member
yes alot of beef cows will wean their calf on their on.as for for drying up dairy cows milkmaiad thats a hot sub.though the yrs ive given cows dry periods of 60 to 90 days.an some 2wks to 45 days.as well as milk some thoughtout the calving.w/o ever turning them dry.su thats anyones guess.but really a cow needs 30days ti rest dairy or beef.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
bigbull338":1psv02cf said:
I have been reading alot of msscamp and mildmaid's post. I have even printed out some of them thinking, "That's what I am going to try next time I get in that pickle.......
bigbull - I know it's a hot subject. But speaking from experience, I've seen cows with 7 days dry (accident!) and cows with 100 days dry (another accident), and those cows that were only dry for 7 days don't milk anything like what they did the previous lactation. They aren't anywhere near their potential. I don't see much difference in 60 days dry vs. 100 days dry - doesn't seem to make them milk any better or less. 30 days is iffy; some cows do fine on it, some cows end up getting culled because it was too little time to recover from the previous lactation and they can't milk well enough to pay their way.
I know a fellow who runs a dairy herd (50 cows) and a beef herd (40 cows) and he manages his beef herd similar to the dairy herd. Beef cows raise one calf a year, calf is weaned at 10 months, cow gets 60 days dry, and she starts all over again. He says he can't see the point in feeding a dry cow for six months when she only needs two months dry.
I know a fellow who runs a dairy herd (50 cows) and a beef herd (40 cows) and he manages his beef herd similar to the dairy herd. Beef cows raise one calf a year, calf is weaned at 10 months, cow gets 60 days dry, and she starts all over again. He says he can't see the point in feeding a dry cow for six months when she only needs two months dry.
bigbull338
Well-known member
ive seen it both ways like you have.an some cows it hurts.while others will milk self to death.but i prefer 60 day dry time.b/c if the cow dont rest some youll burn her up.
